Man accepts plea agreement in 2007 murder

Defense attorney Bill Miller, right, listens with Rickie Cheuvront listens to prosecution describe the crime during a hearing where Cheuvront changed his plea to no contest of second degree murder at the Marion County Judicial Center in Ocala on Monday. Cheuvront was sentenced to 25 years for the murder of his mother in 2007.

Published: Monday, September 30, 2013 at 12:00 p.m.

Last Modified: Monday, September 30, 2013 at 12:00 p.m.

An Ocala man who called 911 and told the operator he had suffered a seizure and killed his mother will spend the next 25 years in prison.

Rickie Cheuvront, 35, pleaded no contest Monday morning and accepted a plea agreement for the lesser charge of second-degree murder in the 2007 killing of Carolyn Cheuvront, 50.

“The cause of death was gunshot wound to the head,” said Assistant State Attorney Rock Hooker in court.

Authorities found the victim’s body inside a home at 2428 NE 17th Ave., Ocala, lying on the kitchen floor. Reports stated she had 14 stab wounds from a filet knife and that the right side of her face was missing.

After stabbing the victim, the defendant took a gun from his father’s bedroom, loaded it and shot his mother at close range, according to Hooker.

Authorities found one spent shell casing a few feet away from the victim. Her DNA profile was found on the gun and knife, and her son’s jeans. A partial profile was found on a second knife, officials stated.

If the case had proceeded to trial, prosecutors would have sought a life sentence for first-degree murder and the defense would have sought to prove insanity at the time of the offense.

Hooker pointed out to the court that his experts would dispute the insanity claim.

Chief Assistant Public Defender Bill Miller told Circuit Judge Hale Stancil that his client suffers from postictal, or post-seizure, psychosis and has had seizures since age 11, which at times can cause him to black out. The psychosis was not discussed in detail during the court hearing.

Cheuvront told the court he is on several medications for his condition, including Phenobarbital, which is used to control seizures.

“He at times has had clusters of seizures where he has several of them all at once” Miller told the court. “That’s when his brain really starts to have these significant issues.”

During the proceeding, Cheuvront asked if prison officials would be made aware of his condition and Miller said they would.

“I think the world of him,” said Miller of his client. “I will always believe that it wasn’t him that committed this crime.”

Miller clarified his remark, saying that while he knows his client is the one who pulled the trigger, he wasn’t in his right mind at the time of the offense.

On the day of the murder, Cheuvront went to visit his mother. At one point, the pair began arguing about his sister, Charlotte Renee Cheuvront.

Cheuvront’s father, Rick Cheuvront, and sister, Charlotte, attended the proceedings but declined to address the court. The father and sister watched the proceedings in silence while holding hands. At one point Charlotte sent a smile in her brother’s direction.

“I just want to thank Miller for working his hardest for me, and to my family for sticking by me and understanding the circumstances,” Cheuvront said when asked if he would like to address the court.

Cheuvront will not be awarded any gain time in the case under Florida’s 10-20-life law.

He received 79 months and 2 days for credit time served in jail pending resolution of the case.

<p>An Ocala man who called 911 and told the operator he had suffered a seizure and killed his mother will spend the next 25 years in prison.</p><p>Rickie Cheuvront, 35, pleaded no contest Monday morning and accepted a plea agreement for the lesser charge of second-degree murder in the 2007 killing of Carolyn Cheuvront, 50.</p><p>“The cause of death was gunshot wound to the head,” said Assistant State Attorney Rock Hooker in court.</p><p>Authorities found the victim's body inside a home at 2428 NE 17th Ave., Ocala, lying on the kitchen floor. Reports stated she had 14 stab wounds from a filet knife and that the right side of her face was missing.</p><p>After stabbing the victim, the defendant took a gun from his father's bedroom, loaded it and shot his mother at close range, according to Hooker.</p><p>Authorities found one spent shell casing a few feet away from the victim. Her DNA profile was found on the gun and knife, and her son's jeans. A partial profile was found on a second knife, officials stated.</p><p>If the case had proceeded to trial, prosecutors would have sought a life sentence for first-degree murder and the defense would have sought to prove insanity at the time of the offense.</p><p>Hooker pointed out to the court that his experts would dispute the insanity claim.</p><p>Chief Assistant Public Defender Bill Miller told Circuit Judge Hale Stancil that his client suffers from postictal, or post-seizure, psychosis and has had seizures since age 11, which at times can cause him to black out. The psychosis was not discussed in detail during the court hearing.</p><p>Cheuvront told the court he is on several medications for his condition, including Phenobarbital, which is used to control seizures.</p><p>“He at times has had clusters of seizures where he has several of them all at once” Miller told the court. “That's when his brain really starts to have these significant issues.”</p><p>During the proceeding, Cheuvront asked if prison officials would be made aware of his condition and Miller said they would.</p><p>“I think the world of him,” said Miller of his client. “I will always believe that it wasn't him that committed this crime.”</p><p>Miller clarified his remark, saying that while he knows his client is the one who pulled the trigger, he wasn't in his right mind at the time of the offense.</p><p>On the day of the murder, Cheuvront went to visit his mother. At one point, the pair began arguing about his sister, Charlotte Renee Cheuvront.</p><p>Cheuvront's father, Rick Cheuvront, and sister, Charlotte, attended the proceedings but declined to address the court. The father and sister watched the proceedings in silence while holding hands. At one point Charlotte sent a smile in her brother's direction.</p><p>“I just want to thank Miller for working his hardest for me, and to my family for sticking by me and understanding the circumstances,” Cheuvront said when asked if he would like to address the court. </p><p>Cheuvront will not be awarded any gain time in the case under Florida's 10-20-life law. </p><p>He received 79 months and 2 days for credit time served in jail pending resolution of the case.</p><p><i>Contact April Warren at 867-4065 or april.warren@ocala.com.</i></p>